


Burial

by spaceMaverick



Series: The Trials and Tribulations of DawnClan [2]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: 10 percent left au, Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dark Forest (Warriors), Dark Forest Battle, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Mild Gore, RiverClan (Warriors), ShadowClan (Warriors), ThunderClan (Warriors), WindClan (Warriors), rated for all the death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-08 10:13:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19867897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceMaverick/pseuds/spaceMaverick
Summary: Was it even worth it to survive if now you have to bury your loved ones?





	1. ThunderClan

The trees were eerily still by the abandoned twoleg nest. Blossomfall shifted Ivypool’s weight across her shoulders; the gray molly’s body was only a reminder of her failure. Amberkit was so small in-between her teeth. Beside her, Rosepetal held Dewkit and Snowkit gently in her jaws, and Firestar hauled Graystripe on his own. These were the last of their fallen clanmates, carried to Jayfeather’s herb garden and laid carefully next to the others. Jayfeather himself had been nestled within the bushes of catmint, looking almost peaceful.

Firestar gave a short chirp and flicked his tail to lead the Clan back to camp. The stone hollow was silent except for the rustling of the thorn tunnel as they entered. Ferncloud emerged from the battered nursery with Lilykit close behind. The little gray-and-white molly looked around the empty camp, wide-eyed.

“Is it time to bury them?” She mewed. Blossomfall cringed.

“Yes, Lilykit,” Firestar responded. “You only need to stay close to Ferncloud, though, okay?” Lilykit nodded and followed Ferncloud to join the group.

The dirt in the twoleg yard was easily churned and dug into graves for ThunderClan's fallen, not that it made it any easier to see this many dead cats. Blossomfall lingered in front of Briarlight's body. Her sister had died fighting, just as ferocious as her abled clanmates in the battle against the Dark Forest. She and Jayfeather had made an excelent team, Rosepetal said. Blossomfall wondered if Briarlight's legs would work in StarClan. Had she grown used to them enough to keep them? Or had she remained unsatisfied until the day she died? She hoped for the former as she picked up the brown molly and placed her in the hole Blossomfall had dug herself. "May StarClan light your path," she whispered before scraping the earth back over Briarlight.

After almost a day's worth of hard work, the four of them had buried all of ThunderClan in the garden. Firestar sighed and leaped atop the old fence, lifting his tail for attention.

"Cat's of ThunderClan," he began, "today has been the hardest day this Clan has ever faced. Never in our history have we experienced this much loss." Blossomfall looked over at Lilykit, huddled close under Ferncloud's stomach. Firestar continued. "And I would like to take a moment to say goodbye to everyone at once." He blinked down at the graves in a sweeping motion and took a breath. "May StarClan light your path, ThunderClan. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter when you sleep."


	2. RiverClan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was still a small pile of herb poultice next to them, useless now that the last member of RiverClan had died.

“No, no, StarClan, No!” Willowshine wailed as Mothwing fell still. “Please, Mothwing, please don’t go…” She pressed her nose to her mentor’s shoulder, breathing in the last of her scent. There was still a small pile of herb poultice next to them, useless now that the last member of RiverClan had died. She looked over to the medicine den, where Mossyfoot blinked slowly at her. Willowshine padded over to the molly, her tail dragging on the sandy camp floor.

“Everyone’s gone…” Mossyfoot murmured. She sighed and lapped at a bite on her paw.

“Is that one bothering you?” Willowshine asked.

“No, it’s just the easiest one to reach.”

Willowshine nodded and folded her legs under herself next to Mossyfoot. She had already taken enough thyme, but panic still washed over her as she tried to rest. From her spot in the den, she could see Mothwing’s blood-stained golden fur. 

_How could this happen to us?_

“Willowshine?”

The gray tabby grumbled awake and looked up. Mossyfoot was crouched beside her, 

"Good morning," Willowshine meowed. "Feeling any better?"

"A little," Mossyfoot said, standing up and shaking out her fur. “I had trouble sleeping, though.”

“Me, too,” Willowshine huffed. She stood up and padded out of the den, wincing as she surveyed the camp in the daylight. Her clanmates lay still- stiff, probably- all around. She turned to Mossyfoot. “We can’t stay here,” she said.

“And just leave them?” Mossyfoot gasped. “What if a fox comes along?”

“What if we die of disease from living among these bodies? Do you really think we can bury them all before it becomes unsafe?” Willowshine draped her tail over Mossyfoot’s shoulders. “I know they’re family, but we have to think of ourselves. We are all that remains of RiverClan.”

“We couldn’t stay with another Clan, StarClan knows they must be doing just as bad.”

Willowshine hummed in agreement. “What about the Moonpool? We might see the other medicine cats…” _If they’re even alive,_ she added silently.

Mossyfoot paused, then nodded. “Can we at least try to cover their bodies?” She meowed, tail drooping as she looked around.

“Of course.”

After long, hard work of gathering leaves, small branches, reeds, and other undergrowth, Willowshine and Mossyfoot stood at the entrance to camp. The floor was covered in piles of foliage now, hiding the death beneath. Willowshine said StarClan’s prayer over her clanmates, her gaze lingering where Mothwing’s body rested.

“May StarClan light your path,” Mossyfoot echoed under her breath. She turned abruptly and dived into the river surrounding RiverClan’s camp. Willowshine followed, taking up the lead once they left the river. 

They made their way to the lakeshore and followed it through WindClan’s territory, crossing their river into ThunderClan’s. By the time they reached the winding path to the Moonpool, it was almost dark. Willowshine’s chest tightened; would anyone be waiting there, too? How many medicine cats were even left?

“It’s beautiful,” Mossyfoot whispered, looking down at the ancient pawprints leading to the Moonpool.

“We can sleep here for tonight,” Willowshine said, “maybe I’ll dream with StarClan.”

Mossyfoot nodded and settled into a dip next to the pool. Willowshine curled up next to the brown-and-white molly. _StarClan, please give me guidance._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing is hard


End file.
